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“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.“~ Proverbs 27:19

A Year with Aslan from The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe

We were created to multiply the image of God in the world, but there is a point where we have to step up.

As Aslan is showing Cair Paravel to Peter, they hear Susan’s horn blow, indicating she needs help. When they show up, Susan is hanging by a thread onto a tree branch – just out of the reach of a wolf. Several of the other creatures run to take care of business, but Aslan steps in & says ..

BACK! Let the Prince win his spurs.

Peter was probably the least likely to win victory at that time, & he didn’t feel very brave, but he fought anyway.

Quotes

A-W Tozer ~ The Counselor

He is loving & kind & friendly, the Holy Spirit can be grieved. Suppose you had a son who began to go bad, & you were called to the police station. Your boy & another sit there in handcuffs. You’d feel sorry for the other boy, but you don’t love him like you love your son. Your grief for your own son would penetrate your heart like a sword.

Daily Walk Devotion ~ Intentional Living Center

One day everyone will know what we know, but living for Him can feel at times like we’re on trial.

That was the case for David Coppedge, a lead scientist on a project for NASA. David believed in the Genesis account of creation, & because of that .. he was fired.

Those kinds of trials can face us too, but in Acts 23 the Apostle Paul says …

I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.

When we believe that, we may face trials. We should seek God, asking for his wisdom, & know that He is able to work all things together for the good.

Narrative of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave

I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, & incur my own hatred.

Tim Keller

It’s not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you. Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch.

Donald Miller ~ Blue Like Jazz

Jesus puts a song in your heart & helps you get over self-addiction.

David Platt ~ Radical

…Abraham can extend God’s glory – so God’s salvation would be made known to all peoples. & the reason God let [Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego] be thrown into a fiery furnace was so they’d come out on the other side without a drop of sweat on their brows, & this pagan king would know [their] God is worthy of praise.

Oswald Chambers ~ My Utmost for His Highest

The questions that really matter in life are remarkably few, & are all answered by these words – Come To Me. If I will simply come to Jesus, my real life will be brought into harmony with my real desires .. & I’ll find the song of the Lord beginning in my life.

“…Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts his voice, & the earth melts.“~ Psalm 46:6

A Year with Aslan from Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Some of my biggest hallelujahs have come when God has revealed something about myself to me & I’ve been able to confess it & grow. That’s kinda where we find Eustace in today’s devotion. He has just awakened to find he is a dragon, & for a brief moment the thought occurs to him that he could get even with the others on the ship now – but he realized he didn’t want to anymore. It reads ..

He wanted to be friends. He wanted to get back to humans & talk & laugh. He began to realize the others hadn’t been fiends at all, & he wondered if he had been such a nice person as he always supposed. & he longed for their voices.

Eustace eventually got back to being human, but it only came through confession. & the same is true for us. Our lives won’t change until we repent.

Quotes

“Unbelief says “Some other time, not now. Some other place, not here. Some other people, not us.” But FAITH says “Anything he did anywhere else, He will do here. Anything he did any other time, he’s willing to do now. & anything he did for other people, he’ll do for us.” If we will yield & obey, God doesn’t care about the limits – He’s bigger than all of them. The question is – will you open your heart?” ~ A.W. Tozer, The Counselor

“We can’t be all God created us to be if we don’t take our thoughts captive. If you talked to your friends the way you talk to yourself, you probably wouldn’t have friends anymore – because we fill our heads with lies. & your thoughts don’t have to be true, you just have to believe them.”~ Pastor Rick Warren, Daily Hope

“When grace comes looking for you, it’s a pretty rare thing. Three of the gospels share a story about a woman who was afflicted who reached out to touch Jesus’ robe. Jesus did not just tell her “You’re healed”, but “Go in Peace”. That is as much a mindset as anything. If we wait for the world to agree with us about anything, especially Jesus, we’ll never have peace. But if we accept his grace – we can live in his presence – & know his shalom.” ~ Daily Walk Devotion, Intentional Living Center

“If you don’t have all the things you want, be grateful for all that you don’t have that you don’t want.” ~ Marty Radcliff

“The wind & waves were high when Peter stepped out of the boat, but he didn’t see them at first – he simply recognized his Lord. If we’re doing that, we aren’t overwhelmed by our circumstances – but realize he is engineering them. As you become totally unrestrained in your faith, casting everything on him, you will only recognize his voice all the more – & be willing to risk your all.” ~ Oswald Chambers, Utmost for His Highest

“If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching – but whether or not he rose from the dead.”~ Pastor Tim Keller

“Nowhere in scripture do I see a balanced life with a little bit of God added in .. When Jesus tells us to take up our cross, it’s a call to radical faith. To walk in such intimacy with the Spirit that my genuine response when he moves is to dance with abandon. God is capable of this, but typically asks us to play an active role. Like we have to get on the treadmill & run if we want results.” ~ Francis Chan, Forgotten God

“Men & women were created in the image of God. Fearfully & wonderfully made … His glory was shared with us. Psalm 8 says “You’ve made them a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory & honor.” We’ve heard a bit about original sin, but not nearly enough about original glory.” John Eldredge, Waking the Dead

“For every atrocity there must be an equal & opposite atrocity.” ~ Lance Morrow